News

August 7, 2015

CMS Announces PAMA Advisory Panel on Clinical Diagnostic Lab Tests

On August 6, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the appointment of members to the PAMA Advisory Panel on Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests and the panel’s first meeting will be held on August 26, 2015. The Advisory Panel was established by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA) to advise the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and CMS on issues related to clinical diagnostic laboratory tests.

During the meeting, the PAMA Advisory Panel will specifically recommend:

• Crosswalks for new laboratory codes for the CY 2016 Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS)
• An appropriate coding structure for drugs of abuse testing
• Crosswalks for such drugs of abuse testing

The August 26 meeting will be held at CMS headquarters in Baltimore, MD, beginning at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). While registration for public participation in the meeting has closed, individuals may listen via teleconference and/or view the proceedings via webcast. To participate via teleconference, use the outside call-in number: 877-267-1577, and enter the WebEx Meeting Number: 396 303 539. Call-in begins at 8:45 a.m. ET on August 26. The live stream (webcast) will be available at www.cms.gov/live/ beginning at 8:45 a.m. ET on August 26.

Click the following links for more information:

Agenda for August 26, 2015, PAMA Advisory Panel Meeting 

CMS Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule CY 2016 Proposed Updates 

August 7, 2015, Federal Register Notice of PAMA Advisory Committee Appointments, August 26 Meeting 

Advisory Panel Members:

• Steve Phurrough M.D., Panel Chair, CMS Medical Officer
• Geoffrey Baird, M.D., Ph.D.
• Vickie Baselski, Ph.D.
• Stephen N. Bauer, M.D.
• William Clarke, Ph.D., M.B.A., DABCC, FACB
• Judith Davis, M.S.
• Stanley R. Hamilton, M.D.
• Curtis A. Hanson, M.D.
• Kandice Kottke-Marchant, M.D., Ph.D.
• Raju Kucherlapati, Ph.D.
• Bryan A. Loy, M.D., M.B.A.
• Gail Marcus, M.S.E., M.B.A.
• Carl Morrison, M.D., D.V.M.
• Victoria M. Pratt, Ph.D., FACMG
• Michele M. Schoonmaker, Ph.D.
• Rebecca Sutphen, M.D.